Transmitting on the downlink using one or more weight vectors determined to achieve a desired radiation pattern

摘要

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting one or more downlink signals simultaneously over the same conventional channel from a communication station to one or more subscriber units to achieve a desired overall radiation pattern (e.g., a near omnidirectional pattern) over a desired sector, the communication station including an array of antenna elements, determining means for determining weight vectors designed for the transmitting through the array to achieve the desired overall radiation pattern over the desired sector, one or more signal processors for weighting the downlink signals in phase and amplitude according to the weight vectors and adding the weighted signals to form a set of weighted downlink antenna signals, each summed and weighted downlink antenna signal having an intended antenna element in the array, a set of associated transmit apparatuses for transmitting the set of weighted downlink antenna signals using the array, each associated transmit apparatus including an input for receiving one of the summed and weighted downlink antenna signals, each antenna element coupled to the output of one of the associated transmit apparatuses.